Video Unlimited Preview Coming to PlayStation 3

Starting today, finding the right movie or TV show on the PlayStation Network is easier and more fun than ever before.

We’re unveiling a whole new way to explore the library of more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes… discover everything from the latest blockbusters and popular sitcoms, to old classics and the next big TV series – it’s simple, fun, and intuitive.

Our new “Video Unlimited – preview” application, which can be downloaded later today if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, makes it easier and more visual to browse, discover, and search for movies and TV shows from your favorite actors, directors, and genres. While mirroring content found on the existing video section of the PlayStation Store, the new preview application gives you a fresh experience by providing endless related search results via a whole new way to find content. Check out the video to see how this all works and why we’re so excited about it.

PlayStation Plus subscribers can download the “Video Unlimited – preview” later today. It’s easy, just head toward the Media section in the PlayStation Store, find and download the “Video Unlimited – preview” application. After exiting the PlayStation Store, select the Video icon of the XMB (XrossMediaBar) and you will see the Video Unlimited preview icon. Select “Video Unlimited – preview” and discover a completely new way to access and discover movies and TV shows on your PS3. For those who aren’t PlayStation Plus subscribers, the application will be available to all in just a few weeks.

We promise this is going to be a great user experience that will change the way you enjoy video content on your PS3!

I downloaded the unlimited video app, and how is this any different than the PS Store? The prices to rent are completely outrageous, where for a dollar more I can rent from Netflix for a month. Also, why would I want to buy a movie off the PS store? All it does is sits on my hard disc taking up space. I would rather buy the blu-ray anyway, because at least then I get the special features, and I can take it with me to a friend’s house. If this was a streaming service for $7.99 or even $9.99 a month for unlimited movies, then you might have something. Otherwise, this is a completely useless app. Is Sony really this clueless?

The new layout is fantastic, a great replacement for the video store. I always found the video store difficult to browse. One complaint is that the background music gets annoying, it would be nice to have the option to turn the music off. Hopefully the game store will get a similar revamp in the near future.

I usually don’t rent movies from the store because it is cheaper to use other services (Netflix, local video store); however, I don’t mind occasionally spending $5-6 to rent a new release if I feel the convenience of renting from my couch is worth the cost. If it isn’t worth it to you, be glad you have other options.

Many people complain about the prices, but remember in most cases the price and rental availability is not up to Sony. Content providers believe people will pay these prices. As long as people are buying, they will continue to believe this.

Loving the ease of use of Video Unlimited, I like how there’s now the 3D Category as well as how the categories are laid out. Now just gotta wait until I get the Playstation 3 3D Display so I can check out the 3D content.

I really like the new design and hope it gets implemented in the Games section of the PlayStation Store. But, even though I like to browse the new Video Unlimited app, I will NOT be buying/renting anything until you get subtitles on your selection.

After playing around with the interface a little bit, I’ve got to say it’s pretty damn good. It loads fast, including the trailers, and it’s very easy to navigate. The ability to search by actors, directors, and producers is a welcome edition. Reminds me a lot of Vudu’s interface, also a quite slick video service. The old video store was just too clunky to navigate…I might actually use the video section now. Thanks for the update!

This is a really cool app, but there is only the problem of feeling overwhelmed with my options now. I have PS Store, Netflix, vudu, hulu all competing over similar media. There needs to be a good way to streamline all of m content.

On top of that, you guys should create something similar that deals with organizing games. I have tons of PSN content only to have it unappealingly organized via ‘album’ folders. It works, but I know you guys can make something sleeker.

Something that organizes my games and makes my trophies easier to browse, share, etc. Maybe and update ton the xmb as a whole ? Idk. You guys are smart over there so I’m gonna leave it to you, but these are just my thoughts :)

I like the new UI looks really cool one , two it was easy to get around. The only problem I have with this would be you don’t offer content for streaming. It would be great if you can have the content for download/steaming … But cheers on the new look

While I’m liking some of the features, why not just add them to the video section of the Playstation Store? Why over complicate things? I would much rather go the PS Store, choose what I want and get it from there. Adding another app is pointless.

Why? I mean don’t we have enough with NetFlix, Vudo, And then you have the PSN store packed full of Movies SONY! I rather use this feature for Music Videos not movies! Seriously you people in charge of the American PlayStation Network/Store should find new idea’s or better yet find a new job cause you suck at innovation when it comes to what we want SNEA! Damn it already Custom sound tracks in all our games, Platinum’s in all games including the ones we have to buy from the store for $9.99 $14.99 and up!, Music Videos from the early 80’s to now Sony! And more originality for pete’s sake! This is why Xbot is killing you guys! They have more variety versus the PSN! So change and add better features cause you might as well call the PS3 a child’s toy the way your going without those features SONY! Also your games are being sold as false advertisement SONY I bought the game Rochard and whats the deal with no support for playing my own music damn it I’m sick in tired of this crap SNEA!

Sony, if you’re even paying attention to the comments, come on. You call something Video Unlimited, then (unlike your Music Unlimited service) you charge for individual videos. How is this “Unlimited” in any way? It’s just a pretty front end to the PSN Video Store. The only thing that seemed nice was the search feature, but when I used it to find Terra Nova, I was 8 levels deep before I finally got to a point I could start to download the video. Fortunately that was actually free or the whole experience would have been a waste.

If you want to call something Video Unlimited, you really ought to charge a subscription and make it unlimited, but then it’s just another Hulu Plus or Netflix.

Why not instead invest developer time on features users actually care about? Just a thought.

Yay something else I wont use. I hope everyone realizes this is just a interface for using the video store… The video store in which movies are tied to your PS3 (YLOD you can lose them if you don’t have a PSP to back them up to) so you don’t really own them and everything is terribly overpriced.

Tried it out. Looks great, kinda slow loading/refreshing but that only seems to happen when first visiting a page. The smart-type/search is still taking me some time to get used to.

Slightly off topic (but related): I’ve noticed that neither Fringe S4E1 nor Breaking Bad S4E11 are in the PSN video store yet. You guys have been great a putting this season of Breaking Bad up for sale right after it airs so I’m bummed that there’s a delay on the latest episode.

Also, you guys did a pretty good job with S3 of Fringe except for E16. I think it took a month or two before you finally posted the episode.

I’m not sure why there’s a delay. If it’s contractual/technical issues, it’d be great to let the customers know so I’m not checked the store every two hours. Here’s hoping it all works out swimmingly.

2.) The background music is horrible and annoying, please give us the option to turn it off.

3.) Some of the menus are redundant. Clicking on movies for example, the top row is featured movies, then the second row in the “all” catogory features the exact same movies. The same goes with TV episodes, having the same picture for every single episode is annoying and we should have to just click on the show name and then pick the epsiode.

4.) prices are still WAY too high for both buying and selling. I can go to wal mart and buy a blu ray for ten bucks. Make it truly UNLIMITED for 9.99 a month heck I’d even pay 14.099 a month for the ability to download new releases.

Other than these few things the services in good and should replace the xmb/video side of the PS store.

I’m not even going to bother downloading this app. Don’t intend to pay super-ridiculous-high prices for any movies. Sony should offer movies for $1 like Redbox, or an unlimited monthly subscription like Netflix. Seem like you guys just aren’t getting the idea of the future – you’re stuck on the high-price-per-movie concept of the past.
If you don’t plan to go all-out subscription-style like Netflix, then at least you could offer a couple free rentals each month for PS PLUS subscribers – say, 1 free New Release and 1 free classic movie each month, and up to 10 free episodes of a TV show (individual’s choice). I’ll bet if you try something like that, you will increase your Plus subscriber base significantly. I’ve watched several seasons of various tv shows on Netflix, and would certainly watch them on PS3 if included with Plus.

No matter what interface you give it, the Video storefront is still a giant pile of “meh” until I can purchase in confidence, which means being able to redownload my video content without having to call customer service for an uncertain re-do.

And final comment: Why isn’t this under TV/Video Services? If you’re gonna make a new section, may as well put /something/ in there to occupy the one other video service those without infinite pockets /might/ be subscribed to.

5) Why make a Firmware update that added the TV/Video Services Column to the XMB, just to make a new PS Store Video UI, and not install it to the TV/Video Services Column, when it’s clearly a Video Service being offered by Sony? instead, it installs to Video, right above the ORIGINAL PS Store Video UI, which is plain old Store UI. either the new UI is useless, or the TV/Video Services Column was, and hence why’d they ever do it instead of leaving everything under Video….I’m shocked at the level of incompetence on this one!

Let me just tell you right now, Sony, so you hear it from me, though I am sure you have and will hear it from many others: Your price point is off. By a lot.

I watch anime. That is almost exclusively what I am interested in with this kind of service. At your current price point, it is $2 per episode. Let’s take the first series I pulled up at random, Initial D First Stage, an anime that is many years old. At $2 per episode, with no whole-season discount, we’re looking at $50 for the first season.

Let’s look at Amazon. Initial D First Stage S.A.V.E box set from Funimation is $18. You are charging me WAY more for something that I don’t even get a physical copy of. And that’s the marked down version of Initial D, the S.A.V.E. series of releases, older stuff. It’s in cheap cardboard case with sleeves. No fancy packaging, your bandwidth and storage should be even less.

Sorry, you can not charge this much. It will not fly. When there’s services like Crunchyroll and Hulu Plus out there that charge way less for a way better service and no need to download, it all streams in full HD quality and looks great on my HDTV, this type of service is completely ridiculous.